“Yep. Two sisters and three brothers. The only difference is, both of my parents are only children.”
“That sounds lonely.”
He sighs, but it’s not a frustrated one. “Not really. We had each other. Actually, we still have each other. But we always have issues with a certain brother.”
“Why?” I hate that I even asked. It’s none of my business. Not really. We’re also straying into friendly territory, and we don’t need to go down this route.
This time his sigh is heavy, and I know there’s some resentment behind it. “Mostly because he’s overbearing. It doesn’t matter what any of us do, it’s never good enough. Pleasing him is like jumping through hoops.”
Yikes. I couldn’t imagine feeling all of that toward my sister or brother. Do I get annoyed with her? Of course. That’s a normal thing, but having so much pent-up emotion doesn’t feel like a good move.
A small part of me wonders if his brother is an older sibling or younger. I think that may make a difference, but I’m not going to ask. It’s not my business, and I have enough on my plate. The last thing I need is to add feelings over whatever is going on with Parker and his siblings. It’s not my place, anyway.
“So, are there questions you have about the wedding or venue? Now that we have a guest count, I can work on some seating plans.”
I’m glad he broke the silence and switched the topic back to all things wedding related.
“Not really.” I think through any possible scenario and remember the ceremony will take place in summer. “Actually, what are your plans for guests dealing with the heat? I know it’s totally my sister’s fault for choosing to get married when it’s Hell on earth, but I want to make sure our guests are as comfortable as possible.”
Most of them won’t mind. We typically get together in the middle of the day in the summer. I’m more concerned about the groom’s family.
“I’m actually working on that. My big sister gave me some options. I need to see what we can do that won’t take away from the ceremony.” He’s quiet for a second, no doubt waiting for me to chime in. When I don’t, he continues. “We’ll have misters for sure. Plus, the room will be open for those needing a break from the heat.”
“Great, keep me updated on any other options you come up with. That’s one less thing I have to worry about.”
Who knows what else my sister will throw at me. I guess it depends on how overbearing her future mother-in-law becomes. It’s just a weird thing for me to understand because Daniela has always spoken highly of her. Apparently, things change when there’s a wedding involved.
“Anything I can help with?” He asks before rushing on. “I know I’m not a wedding planner or anything, but I’m sure I can source things for you. I have a lot of connections in this town.”
“You make it sound like you’re part of the mob.” I can’t stop the giggle making it’s from my lips. Oh my God. Did I really just make that sound?
“You never know. The small town of Asheville could have its own underground crime organization.”
I hear the smile in his voice, and it takes me back to Valentine’s Day. Honestly, I’m glad he’s the one we’re working with, as much as having to talk to him sends me into a tailspin. He’s laid-back and honest…mostly.
“I’ll make sure to be on the lookout next time I’m in town.” Which will probably be more frequent than I can imagine. “I’m waiting on my sister to mark which places she wants to visit for some of the items. I figured it’ll be better to work with local companies and it’ll cut down on delivery fees.”
“It will. I can personally vouch for everyone we have on the info sheet.”
“Oh, so you’ve been married before?”
“Oh my God, no.” He laughs, and I want to hear more of it. “I believe we’ve had this conversation before. Relationships aren’t for me.”
“Wow, you defended yourself so fast.” I sigh, “but I get it. I wish my mom understood that. My sister hinted that if I didn’t have a plus one, I would on the wedding day. Apparently, my mom is scheming behind my back.”
“That is the worst.” He groans in commiseration. “Piper is always trying to fix me up with a forever person.”
“Gotta love well-meaning family.” I glance at the clock and realize it’s getting late. “I should probably get going. Is this your work or personal number?”
“Both?”
“You sound uncertain.”
“Well, it’s my personal phone. I left it for you because I didn’t know if you’d call back within business hours.”
Or it was a way to get my phone number. Either way, it doesn’t matter. “Is it okay if I text you if I think of anything else?”
“Sure. I have a note in my phone going over what we talked about. I’ll add it to the file in the morning. I’m trying really hard to keep that work/life balance so I don’t end up like Pierce or Peter.”
